The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-02-18
Alsike Clover.

A1o4AO SAOVVAs
The following discussion was had at
the Union Bee-Keepers Convention, at
Albany, N. Y:
After the routine business, an essay
by G. M. Goodspeed was read on Alsike
Clover as honey-plant. He said that
Alsike comes in before Eastwood, and is
in it's prime by July 10. 1t blossoms
very freely, and yields more honey than
white clover, and as much as Eastwood.
He esteemed it next to Eastwood. The
amount OF Alsike honey in his whole
crop was variable; sometimes all the
white honey was tinged with alsike; at
other times only portion of the lower
part would be- As feed for stock there
was no better. His first crop was sowed
late, and wet in curing, yet his cattle
ate it in preference to his best cured
hay. 1t should be sowed with other
grasses, and cut late 1t seeds rather
poorly and does not do well on light
soil, but on moist land there is an i'm
mense yield of rich fodder aud fine
honey.
A. I. Root had eight acres of Alsike
on rather dry soil near Columbus, and
from it obtained rich crop of honey
when his neighbors had none. 1t makes
fine forage, especially for mich COWS,
and small amount goes great way.
AS pasture it is excellent, increasing
the flow of milk
John Aspinwall had seen it growing
in st. Lawrence county, and was told
by the farmers that it did better than
other grasses.
T. F. Bingham said it was much
raised for sheep in his State, and to
some extent for COWS. He had fed it
to three horses, and they did better on
Alsike and little grain than on the
best timothy or herds-grass and more
grain. For bees he preferred it to eth
err white or red clover.
H. N. Waters had raised it for 10 or
II years, and found it succeeded best
on wet soil
L c. Root said that good farmers
like Alsike because it attracts the bees,
and so more perfect seeding is obtain
ed A farmer told him that his cattle
would eat weather.stained Alsike in
preference to his brightest and best
cured hay. He had secured honey from
his clover by the ton, and it cannot be
surpassed; the flavor is of the finest
better than that from Eastwood, though
not as white. In Herkimer county it
grows by the roadside as common as
white clover. On dry soils it will not
last long, but on moist it becomes per-
manent In growing Alsike, the in
terests of farmer and bee keeper were
Identical.
R. Bacon said that farmers near
Oneida Lake were growing Alsike to a
large extent. Their subsoil was clay.
His honey had been greatly impoved
by Alsike.
Secretary Knickerbocker said the
yield was from two to three tons per
acre.
M. D. West sowed two acres to AL
sike, with one-third timothy. The hay
was as described, and had remarkably
rich odor when put in the barn The
Alsike remained in land three years.
A member said that Alsike secreted
more honey on light soils than on
heavy. Five years ago he persuaded a
number of farmers to try Alsike. The
store keeper was then selling Is bags of
red clover seed. Last year he sold 20
of Alsike and 4 bags of red clover.
President W. E. Clark sowed a
piece, IL years ago, to Alsike and tim
othy. Had cut good crops every year,
and that of last year was the best of all.
Last spring when other grasses where
heaved, Alsike was not, and after roll
ing it was a perfect mat. Cut it July
%, and the bees worked on the after.
math until October.
Trimming F7rllit Trees